Collapsible pallet



March 17, 1953 J. K. PETRVIME 2,631,749

COLLAPSIBLE PALLET 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

l 28 5, JOSEPH K. PETRIME 4 H674 V BY ,45 wpz wmm ATTORFEYS March 17, 1953 J. K. PETRIME 2,631,749

COLLAPSIBLE PALLET Filed D60. 30, 1949 2 SHEETS SHEET w 6 34 38 33 Z //////7/////l I I 36 24 24 36 34 35 FIG-5 24 34a 33 FIG.- 6

Ill/11111111114 FIG-9 INVENTOR. JOSEPH K. PETRIME ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

' This invention relates to a novel and improved collapsible pallet.

An object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible pallet which may be quickly folded and knocked down but which is very strong and sturdy when assembled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible pallet in which the sides are hinged to the bottom member and the ends slidably engage the sides in a novel manner to form a rigid pallet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible pallet which may be quickly collapsed to occupy less space and thereby receive a lower shipping rate when the pallet is returned to its point of origin.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel construction for reinforcing a container of the type described using the same parts which contribute to the knock-down features of my device.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the acompanying drawings and description and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled pallet;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the pallet in its collapsed condition; a

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view, enlarged, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental seitional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

" Figs; 5 and 6 are fragmental seitional views, enlarged, on the lines 5-5 and 66 respectively of Fi 1;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of an upper corner of the pallet, the view being taken from the inside of the pallet with the parts partially assembled;

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view enlarged of a lower hinged corner of Fig. 1; while Fig. 9 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged on the line 99 of Fig. 1.

My collapsible pallet consists of a bottom member ID, the side members H and [2 which are hinged to the bottom, the end members l3 and a top l4. v I

The bottom member IU of my collapsible pallet consists of a panel 15, forming an imperforate bottom wall. Secured'to'the underside of the panel I5 are a plurality of parallel spacers 16, three being shown, two of the spaces extending along each side edge and the other intermediate the side edges. A plurality of parallel strips I1, three being shown, are fixed to the underside and extend transversely of the parallel spacers IE, to provide a rigid construction and to provide openings 18 for the forks of a lift truck.

To protect the bottom wall l5 from being damaged by the forks of a lift truck, when the bottom is made of plywood, I provide metal channels i9, Figs. 1 and 8, secured by bolts l9a along the end edges of the bottom wall l5 above the openings l8.

At each corner of the bottom member ID, I provide gusset plates 20 and 2! to which the sides H and I2 are pivoted. The gusset plates 28 and 2! arefixed to the bottom by the bolts I911 (Fig. 8).

, The side It consists of an imperforate wall 22, having reenforcing strips 23 secured on the outside thereof.

On each inner vertical side edge of each side wall I provide a chanel 24, Figs. 6 '7, and 8, which may be secured to the wall 22 by screws 25 or the like, for retention of the end members [3, to be more fully described hereinafter. A pivot plate 26, Fig. 8, is welded to one leg 24b of each channel 24, at the lower end thereof, to cooperate with the gusset plates 20 for pivoting movement of the side ll.

'The gusset plates 28' are provided with legs 26a to engage the lower outer surface of the side members to provide reenforcement for the lower edges of the side members to prevent movement laterally outward. The leg 20a is secured to the bottom by a screw or bolt 29b.

The other side member I2 is identical to the side [I except for the size of the pivot plate 29, Fig. 2, and like reference characters have been given to like parts. The difference in size of the pivot plates 26 and 29 is to allow the sides ll and I2 to be in parallel relationship to each other when the sides H and I 2 are folded inwardly as shown in Fig. 2. It will also be noted in Fig. 2 that the pivot point 30 is higher and nearer the center of the pallet than the pivot point 3| for accomplishing this folded parallel relationship. 7

Referring to Fig. 2 ,with the parts in the knockdown position, it will be noted that the distance of the pivot 3| above the bottom member l5 plus the distance of this member inwardly on the pivot plate 29 from the side member I2 is at least equal to the combined thickness of the two end members l3 so that they may be packed underneath the member 12 in the knockdown position. Referring now to the pivot 39, its distance above the bottom member plus the distance of this pivot inwardly on the pivot plate 26 from the side member II is at least equal to the thickness of the two end members l3 plus the thickness of the side member [2 so that the parts may be placed in the knock-down position. In the parts shown in Fig. 2, the top member I4 is also shown placed beneath the side member l2. Inasmuch as I have indicated that I may use my box without a top member, I prefer the above statement in this paragraph regarding the position of the pivots 3| and 30 utilizing the phrase at least to indicate that besides accommodating the two end memers i3, I may so place the pivots as to also accommodate the top member 14 in the knock-down position shown in Fig. 2.

Obviously, my pallet may be of such dimensions that the sides will not overlap when folded upon the bottom, in which case the side members and pivot plates are identical and the pivot points are placed in the same relative positions.

The lower corners of the sides 'i'l and i2 are cut away as at 32 to clear the 'gussets '26 and 2.! when the sides are folded inwardly.

The end members is are identical and consist of an imperforate wall 33, and reenforcing strips and 35. The strips 31% are rabbet'ed out at Silo; to provide a runway for one leg 25a of the channel 2d (Figs. 5 and 6). The other leg 24b embraces the outer surface of the strip 34.

At the upper corners or" the end members 1 3 are metal retainer angles 36 (Fig. 7) which extend outwardly beyond the vertical side edges of the end members it and are provided with legs 3601. which engage the outer surface of the side members H and 12.

The pallet is assembled from its collapsed position by simply pivoting the sides 5 i and 12 outwardly about their pivots 3t and 31 until they are vertical. The lower end of the strips :34 of the ends l3 are then engaged in the channel 26 and the end "members it slide downwardly. The legs 38a will then engage the upper corners of the sides ii and i2 and rigidly prevent the sides from being pushed outwardly by a load within the pallet.

I also provide a Z-shaped bracket 3? (Fig. 9), one end tl'a of which is secured to the bottom member Ill, and the other end 3Tb extends upwardly and on the outside of the side members H and [2 to prevent the sides H and l2 from being bulged outwardly by a load within the pallet.

It is sometimes desirable, when shipping certain articles, to provide 'a top I4. For this purpose cleats 33 are fixed on the inner surfaces of the end members [3 and the side members H and i2, near the upper horizontal edges thereof, upon which the top It rests.

The top I iis also constructed of an imperforate wall 39 and reeniorcing strips it.

On the top edge of each of the sides ll and-1 2 and intermediate the side edges thereof I provide an -bolt 27, with'the closed end of the bolt extending inwardly. The 'U-bolt 2' 3 cooperates with the top member i l as will be described later. I also provide a metal band 28 where the U bo'l t 2 1 is secured to the side it.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and the top 14 is provided with metal lugs 35' having slots 41a in a vertioal'leg thereof which engage the U-bol'ts 21, the wall 39 being cut away at 390. to r eceive the U-bolt '21.

The center reen'forcing strip ten of the top 'l-l has-aslo't 5% to receive the 'U -bolt 2 of the side mem'ber T2 when the pallet is in its collapsed position.

The imperforate walls "f5, 22, 33" and 39' are preferably made of plywood with the parts I 6; I1, 2 3', 3'4, 35, ll! and its being made of common lumber sizes such as l x -4"s, rs 6s and 2 x rs, all the remaining parts being of metal.

As a test of durability my improved collapsible pallet was tumbled for six weeks, with a load fixedwithin the pallet, without brealring or showing any signs of weakening.

My pallet is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2, by first placing the two end members It flat on the bottom wall [5, the top member 14 is next placed on top of the ends 13. After this the side 52 is folded inwardly about its pivot 3| with the U-bolt 21 engaging in the slot 4% and the side H. folded inwardly about its pivot 39.

My collapsible pallet may be used, for example, with the top [4 removed, for receiving stampings directly from a stamping machine and then shipped in the pallet, with or without the top member i4, without further handling or packing. The pallet may then be returned to the factory in its collapsed condition, thereby receiving lower shipping rates, and thus may be used over many times.

I find that in at least one case, in approximately three trips, to "and from the factory, the pallet has paid for itself, thereby effecting a great saving over the conventional crates which are discarded after each use.

Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled'in the art.

What I claim is In a collapsible pallet, a rectangular, planar bottom member, a gusset plate secured to each of the corners of said bottom member, each of said gusset plates being secured to the end edge of said bottom member and lying in a plane perpendieular to and extending upwardly from said bottom member, each of said gusset plates having a leg laterally outside of its associated side member and perpendicular to said gusset plate, two rectangular side members of the same length as the bottom member, the said legs on said gusset plates providing reinforcement for the lower edges of the said side members from movement laterally outward, aninwardly opening channel fixed to each of the vertical side edges of said side members, two rectangular end members engaging in said channels by a vertical sliding movement, a pivot plate rigidly secured to the lower end of the outside leg of each of said channels andextending inwardly therefrom outside of its associated end memb'er,. each of said pivot plates being parallel to and closely adjacent one of said gusset plates, pivots passing through said pivot plates and gusset plates whereby each side wall will fold about its pivot "to a knock-down position parallel to saidbottom member, the distance of one or said pivots above said bottom member plus the distance of thesaid one pivot inwardly from its associated side memher being at least equal to the combined thicknessof said .two end members, and the distance of the other of said pivots above said bottom member plus the-distance of thesaid-other member inwardly from its associated side member beingat'. least equal to the combined thicknesso f said two end members and :one side member.

I Name Date 687,807 Winter Dec. 3, 1901 $58,105 Reul Apr. '26, 1 904 $9 7,739 Biro July 1 1, -191I 1,476,654 Dec. 4,1923 22993- oat-:20; 1942 2,541,112 

